DirecTV sends out such signals about twice a month, but according to The Carmel Group's Sean Badding, intrepid pirates can effectively block ECMs using devices called emulators, or if that fails, reactivate a "burned" card using a "card strip box" that connects to a personal computer.

FORBES: DirecTV Declares War On TV Pirates

In the past, DirecTV has tried a variety of more conventional approaches to fighting piracy, including cooperating with law enforcement to bust black market distributors and taking various electronic counter measures, or ECMs. In January, DirecTV instructed its satellites to send an ECM known as a "card kill" on Super Bowl Sunday.

FORBES: DirecTV Declares War On TV Pirates